Singularity
Label: AUM Fidelity
Media: CD
Format: Album
WorkNameSort: Singularity
Compared to most avant-jazz guitarists, Joe Morris is practically a monk. He plays a Gibson Les Paul but favors a Jim Hallish sound, free of any notable effects or amplifier push. So armed, he sidesteps chords and digs into a distinctive style of single-string playing that demands — and delivers — a steady stream of angular melodies, riffs and ideas. “Singularity” brings Morris’ monastic rigor into sharp focus in a format new for him, at least on disc: solo acoustic performance.
Cut in a single day in May 2000, the 10 pieces on “Singularity” make plain why it’s easier to compare Morris with horn players than guitarists. Though he builds a theme for the opening “Light” out of two-note clusters, his reliance on cogent single-string improvisation and his stirring, pulse-conscious phrasing infuse his playing with a saxophonist’s concern for line and breath. Newcomers might want to start elsewhere, but fans should flock to this intimate look inside Morris’ astringent style and sound.
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2001.